Proper Body Positioning at the work station
As a physical therapist, I see so many patients complaining of neck, shoulder, wrist, and back pain from prolonged sitting at the computers. With the work days averaging 8 hours 5 days a week, its no wonder that more and more people are suffering from postural dysfunctions. Even when we come home, its not uncommon for us to leisurely surf the web for various reasons.
Since it is impossible to eliminate computers from our lives, lets look at some options and changes that we can make to ensure that we maintain healthy spines and decrease pain.
Ergonomic Recommendations:
When possible, you should modify a computer workstation to best support a neutral body position. A Neutral body position is a comfortable working posture in which your joints are naturally aligned and there is the least stress and strain on your muscles, tendons, and joints. Sitting this way can help your tendons and joints heal. If you can, you should use a natural keyboard and sit in an ergonomic chair, which has an adjustable seat angle, back support, and padded elbow support. Here are some guidelines to help you maintain a neutral body position when sitting at a computer workstation.